NICKY MORGAN refused to put a number on the level of net migration as she was put under the spotlight as she "actively considers" running for the Tory leadership.

The Education Secretary, who backed Remain in the EU referendum, is being strongly tipped to run to become Conservative leader and, as a result, Prime Minister.

Ms Morgan was questioned over her plans for UK immigration after news emerged David Cameron had blamed Brexit on the EU’s failure to offer any form of control on freedom of movement.

The 43-year-old MP for Loughborough was asked repeatedly by Nick Ferrari on LBC to put a number on her migration plans.

She said: "I think that obviously it is a big issue of concern."

When asked for her solution she continued: "Well, I think the solution is obviously to make sure in terms of negotiations with the EU that we will have to, if we want access to the single market – which I think we have to help businesses, to provide stability and certainty – that we will have to accept some freedom of movement."

Ms Morgan was then asked to clarify what "some freedom" of movement meant.

"With respect Nick," she said. "I’m not negotiating with you. I’ll be negotiating with the EU.

"If we continue to do it to only to a numbers game, then I think we are not serving the British people well."There is a positive case to be made for immigration. We’re sitting in a city which is built on people coming here, on contributing their talents, paying their taxes for many hundreds of years.

"It is possible to build a diverse country where we don’t see the kind of intolerance we are seeing at the moment.

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Boris Johnson is also expected to run to become Tory leader

Saying it is all about numbers is completely missing the point

Nicky Morgan

"It’s not talking about numbers. It’s about making sure there is proper enforcement of our border controls."

Ms Morgan repeatedly refused to say whether she would continue to support the manifesto promise of the Conservative Party to reduce net migration to the "tens of thousands".

She continued: "I think it’s right to have an ambition to bring it down and have control.

"Saying it is all about numbers is completely missing the point."

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She said: "I am actively considering [running] and talking to lots of colleagues and I do firmly feel that of course we've had discussions about the EU and our exit, but we also need to debate how we reach out to the centre-ground of British politics.

"We see a country that is very divided between north and south, young and old, different educational backgrounds. Young and old thing is very important – we have to reach out to younger people who feel let down by last week’s vote."